Singer Sulli rumored to be leaving f(x) Rapper Choiza from "Dynamic Duo," left, and idol singer Sulli from "f(x)" / Korea Times fileIdol singer Sulli, from five-member girl band f(x), is leaving the group, according to reports.Sulli, 21, (whose real name is Choi Jin-lee) from SM Entertainment, will pursue an acting career, reports said Thursday. She will remain with the management company because her contract is still valid.The band was set to make comeback in July.Her boyfriend is rapper Choiza from two-member band “Dynamic Duo.” Sulli dropped off the radar in July last year following several controversies, including discord with band members, after her relationship with the rapper was revealed in 2013. Jun 25, 2015By Ko Dong-hwan
Singer, actress to tie knot after dating 7 years Kim Seok-min, left, and Lim Seon-young / Korea Times fileThe late Kim Ji-hoonSinger Kim Seok-min, from former dance music duo “Duke,” and actress/singer Lim Seon-young are getting married in September after seven years of dating.Kim Ji-hoon, the group’s other member who killed himself in 2013, is credited with helping introduce the couple. Kim and Lim are reportedly getting married in Mapo-gu district, Seoul, and honeymooning on the small island of Boracay, in the Philippines. Kim, 44, debuted in 1996 with band “New Two Two” and went solo in 2009. Lim, 34, debuted as a teenage model and has expanded into acting, singing and musicals.Jun 25, 2015By Ko Dong-hwan
Ultra-slim singer sets K-pop waist record Min A / Courtesy of InstagramSinger Min A, from eight-member girl band “Ace of Angel (AOA),” has proved she is the slimmest K-pop idol star.MBC weekly talk show “Weekly Idol” measured the waistline of the star, 21, whose real name is Kwon Min-ah. She recorded 17.9 inches, breaking the previous mark of 19 inches held by idol singer Goo Ha-ra from four-member girl band Kara. “She can measure down to 14 inches if she doesn’t eat for a while,” other members of AOA, managed by FNC Entertainment, said on the show.One of the show’s MCs, Jung Hyung-don, jokingly taunted Goo and idol singer Nam Ji-hyun, from four-member girl band “4minute,” to visit the show if they wished to beat Min A.Jun 25, 2015By Ko Dong-hwan
'The Genius' to find out the best of best The cast members of “The Genius” pose at the press conference at CGV in Sangam-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of CJ E&MBy Kim Jae-heunThe reality game show: “The Genius: Grand Final” enters its fourth season, cable channel tvN announced Tuesday at a press meeting at CGV in Sangam-dong, Seoul.In the Grand Final series, the top two contestants from each of seasons one to three will compete to be named the ultimate champion, and premieres this Saturday at 9:45 p.m.The 90-minute game show started its first season back in June 2013. Each season has featured 12 episodes, where 13 contestants or “geniuses” engage in a variety of games. In each episode, one contestant is eliminated while the winners receive a red garnet that can be exchanged for money in the final episode.“I want to achieve my second major win this season,” said former pro-gamer Hong jin-ho, the winner of season one. “Winning against strong opponents gives me confidence. I will be watching out for Jang Dong-min (the comedian who won season three). It will make me moJun 24, 2015
Former idol singer slays them in 'Death Note' Kim Jun-su from musical Death Note / Courtesy of Naver blogFormer idol singer Kim Jun-su has been praised for his performance in musical “Death Note.”A report Wednesday said Kim, 28, from three-member boy band “JYJ,” had taken a “successful step” in playing the difficult role of “L,” one of the show’s major characters. “With his unique husky voice and skills to adapt it in interpreting songs and depicting chemistry with other characters, Kim highlighted his performance in the musical,” the report said. The show started on Saturday at the Seongnam Arts Center Opera House and audiences have been impressed with Kim’s delicacy in portraying L. Some reports said he even controlled his “toes” in depicting L, a genius detective who tries to catch Yagami Raito, who kills people using a “death note.”Kim debuted in 2004 in five-member boy band “TVXQ” (which went two-member in 2010). He has performed in several musicals, including “Dracula,” “December,” &ldquoJun 24, 2015By Ko Dong-hwan
Stars use SNS to boast of weight loss No Yoo-min / Courtesy of InstagramBy Ko Dong-hwan Two celebrities have boasted online about their weight-loss by posting before-and-after photos.During a recent interview with women’s magazine “Women Sense,” TV personality No Yoo-min said he lost 28 kilograms in three months.The 35-year-old star, a former idol singer from boy band New Radiancy Group (NRG), said he was worried he would be stuck with his latest nickname, “Ugly Leonardo DiCaprio,” for gaining weight after he quit singing.“I tried and failed to lose weight many times and didn’t want to fail this time,” No told the magazine. “I regularly ate three meals per day and exercised using yoga.”“I concentrated on my abdomen during exercise. When I was fat, my wife clipped my toenails for me because I couldn’t bend over.”No, who debuted in 1997 with the band’s first album, established a coffee shop franchise in 2014. Park Seul-gye / Courtesy of TwitterMeanwhile, comedian Park Seul-gi also made headlines Wednesday with her SNS photosJun 24, 2015By Ko Dong-hwan
Kim Jung-eun dates son of business magnate Actress Kim Jung-eun /Screen capture from YouTubeBy Park Jong-hoActress Kim Jung-eun is dating the son of an unnamed business magnate, according to a report.It said Kim had been going out at night with the man despite her busy schedule.Kim confirmed the report in a press release. But she said there were no plans for marriage and she would keep fans informed.Kim started her career after an MBC audition in 1996. Her busy schedule includes weekend drama “Make a Woman Cry”, which premiered on April 18.Jun 24, 2015
Star couple shoot wedding photos Bae Yong-joon, left, and Park Soo-jin / Courtesy of InstagramCelebrity couple Bae Yong-joon and Park Soo-jin shot wedding photos on Monday.Bae, 42, is an actor and CEO of celebrity management company KEYEAST. Park, 29, is an actress and former idol singer from four-member girl band “Sugar.”Photographer Hong Jang-hyun led the shoot and several of the couple’s friends were invited, reports said. A KEYEAST insider was quoted as saying the wedding date had not been set, but the couple would likely tie the knot in the fall.The couple began dating last February and said three months later they would get married.Jun 23, 2015By Ko Dong-hwan
Actress Kim Bin-woo shows off businessman boyfriend Actress Kim Bin-woo and her boyfriend / Courtesy of InstagramBy Park Jong-ho Actress Kim Bin-woo has revealed her new boyfriend on Instagram. Kim, 33, posted pictures of herself with the businessman, 32. They were taken during a trip to Singapore. She also wrote a message thanking people for their congratulations. Kim’s management, “Koen Stars,” admitted Kim was dating the businessman. Kim debuted in 2001 on SBS’s “Supermodel Contest” and has been in dramas “My Lovely Family (2004)” and “Iron Lady Cha (2015)”.Jun 23, 2015
Web-based dramas to become mainstream in 5 years: experts Internet-based dramas will grow to a major broadcasting genre in five years as people prefer watching shows on smartphones in South Korea, one of the most wired countries in the world, industry experts said Tuesday.Major television networks such as KBS, MBC and SBS have recently released many new Web-based series in a desperate effort to build up a new market for their contents.Such dramas consist of eight to 16 episodes with a length of 10 to 20 minutes each and are available only on the Internet. Some cast A-list stars, mostly members of popular K-pop bands such as TVXQ, FTISLAND, EXO and 2NE1, to draw attention of K-pop fans around the world."We began producing Web dramas to open a new market of our content at a situation when young people don't watch TV too much," said Lee Young-min, a director of the Sim Entertainment that produced "Prince of Prince," a 10-episode series that ended up broadcasting on Naver's LINE TV and the national broadcaster KBS on Sunday. "I see the Web drama market will secure a place in five years and that paid-service will become possible. An age where peJun 23, 2015
